Woman charged with attempted murder of children tried to escape Kendall County courthouse

A 48-year-old woman awaiting trial on attempted murder charges tried to escape a Kendall County courthouse Tuesday morning, according to the sheriff’s office.

Pamela J. Christensen was able to slip her wrists out of restraints and run toward the courtroom exit a few minutes after 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to a statement from the Kendall County sheriff’s office.

She was immediately restrained by deputies, according to the statement. She resisted the arrest, but was escorted to a secure holding area in the courthouse.

She did not make contact with anyone else in the courtroom, police said. “Visitors to the Kendall County Courthouse were never in danger.”

Christensen is accused of trying to kill her three children on Sept. 25, 2014, the Sun-Times reported at the time. When police arrived at her Montgomery home that morning, she answered the door wearing a white shirt covered in blood and told police she had tried to kill her children.

Her daughters, ages 12, 16 and 19, told police their mother held a knife to them and asked if they accepted Jesus Christ, police said. Two of the girls were stabbed. Christensen also stabbed herself in the chest and abdomen.

Christensen has now been charged with felony count of attempted escape and a misdemeanor count of resisting a police officer, according to the statement. She remains in custody at the Kendall County Jail.